Jewelry Cleaning Tips at Home That Actually Work & 5 Tips That Could Be Ruining Your Bling

A DIAMOND expert has debunked some viral hacks that could be damaging to your precious jewelry.

She also shared a “deep” cleaning method that removes dirt and grime.

1

Shields Diamond expert Kylie Pitt revealed the best cleaning tricks she recommends and DIY tips to avoid that could damage your jewelry.

MASSIVE MUST

ULTRASONIC JEWELRY CLEANER

Pitt recommended the ultrasonic cleaner as an effective way to clean your jewelry, especially when it comes to thoroughly removing dirt and grime from hard-to-reach areas.”

“Make sure you choose an ultrasonic cleaner that is specifically designed for jewelry,” she advised.

While the product is safe for most jewelry, the expert also issued a warning about the product.

“Avoid this method for finer items with delicate settings or non-diamond gemstones, such as emerald or opal,” she said.

HUGE DESPAIR

There are several tricks online to maintain your jewelry that get a lot of attention. Pitt shared her top five tricks that you should avoid, as they can do more harm than good.

NO MORE SOFT DRINKS

While TikTok posts claiming that baking soda will clean your jewelry have been viewed nearly 140,000 times, Pitt advises against using baking soda when cleaning your jewelry.

Soft drinks are very sticky and can therefore attract more dirt and grime.

This is because the acids and sugars can damage your jewelry and leave residue on your jewelry.

“It can clean certain metals like copper, but it can be harmful to most jewelry metals and gemstones,” she explains.

KETCHUP

Ketchup emerged as an unexpected cleaning product via TikTok, which received nearly 180,000 views on the topic.

“Ketchup can be used to clean and remove tarnish from copper jewelry, but it is messy and not effective or suitable for other types of materials,” Pitt explains.

She added that its acidic properties can also damage the metal and gemstones if used over a long period of time.

“Additionally, ketchup should not be used on lab-grown diamonds or on diamond jewelry, as the acidity can damage the metal setting and is not effective for cleaning diamonds,” she advised.

SALT WATER

Salt is a product that can be found in most homes, so it is no surprise that TikTok users have been experimenting with it as a cleaning agent.

“Salt has minimal benefits for cleaning jewelry and is not effective at removing dirt and grime from jewelry. In fact, it can cause corrosion and corrode metals,” Pitt said.

She said it offers “no significant benefits” and will only damage the metal in your jewelry.

“I also advise against using salt water to clean lab-grown diamonds as it can corrode the metal settings and is not effective for proper cleaning,” she added.

TOOTHPASTE

Toothpaste is also a popular choice, but Kylie advises against it.

“Toothpaste is great for removing surface dirt from metals, but it contains abrasives that can cause micro-scratches and damage the finish of metals and stones,” she explains.

She recommended using only a milder cleaning solution specifically designed for jewelry.

LEMON JUICE

Lemon juice is another jewelry cleaning trick that has gone viral, with the most views, with 1.8 million people commenting on the topic.

Pitt said it can be used to remove tarnish from copper and brass jewelry, but it also has some drawbacks.

“Its acidic nature can cause detrimental damage to your pieces, such as discoloration and weakening of the metal and gemstone settings,” she explains.

For pieces with “porous or soft gemstones,” such as pearls or turquoise, she advised not using it at all, as it is too hard for everyday use.

The acidity of lemon juice can also have damaging effects on lab-grown and naturally grown diamonds.

She advised cleaning lab-grown jewelry only with mild soap and water.